Improvement in processes of converting cast-iron into cast-steel



c. W. SIEMENS.

5 sheets-sheen.

No. 189,273.l

Patented April 3, 1877.

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PROCESS 0F CONVERTING CAST IRON INTO' CAST STEEL. N0.189,Z73. v Patented April 3,- 1877.

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y PROCESS 0F CONVERTING CAST IRON INTO CAST STEEL. No. 189,273.

` Patented April-3,1877.

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PRocEss oF coNvERTING CAST IRON INT0 CAST STEEL. No. 189,273. Patented Apr11s,1a77.

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EEocESS oF CONVEETING yGAST IEoN INT0 CASE STEEL. No.189,273.

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UNITED STATES v of manganese in the metal produced.

oHAELEs WILLIAM sIEMENs, 0E vvEsTMINsTEE, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT vIN PROCESSES 0F CONYERTING CAST-IRON INTOyCAST-STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.l 189,273, dated April 3, 1877 application iiled i November V15, 1876.

To all whom it indy concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WILLIAM SIEMENS, of Westminster, county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain Improvements in Process of Converting Gasti Iron into Cast-Steel.

The following description, taken in connec-g tion with the accompanying plate of drawings,

. hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact i rich ferro-manganese in a solid condition, and

thereby preventing the ferro-manganese from oxidizing, and insuring a definite proportion My improvements maybe applied to various processes now in use for refining castiron, and therefore I do not confine .myself to Y the particular means and methods of decarbonization hereinafter set forth, but merelyl describe them, in order to illustrate the appli-V cations of my invention. Y

When my improved methods are vapplied to the regenerative gas-furnace, abath of cast or pig iron is rst brought to a high tempera-v ture by the action of the llame. Upon the bath thus heated either ore, puddled steel, scrap -iron, or old rails, may be thrown, charged, or otherwise introduced. When ore is thus used it may be previously cemented and roasted before being charged into the bath.A When itis intended to convert old iron, or steel rails, or other scrap metal into cast-I steel, I prefer to charge into the furnace, say,

about three tons of, scrap, intermixed with two tons of comparatively pure pig metal, and to continue ring until the whole charge has become afluid mass. The degree to which the bath has been refined is determinedby drawing out and examining a sample of the bath, and more scrap metal, or metalliooxid'e',

or ore is added until the samples show the v requisite percentage of carbon, when the whole is discharged into a heated ladle containing ferro-manganese, as hereinafter described.

Y The scoria floating on the metallic bath is run oft' continuously, or at suitable intervals, during the process of decarburizationwithout discharging the metal itself, and for this purpose the doors or openings -of the furnace should be made low enough to suit the lowest possible surface-level of the metallic bath, and rendered capable of being banked up readily by means of sand or other refractory material to the height required. By thus removing the slag from the metal either continuously or at certain intervals during the decarburization ofthe pig-metal forming the metallic bath, two important advantagesjare obtained, viz: the process of decarburization is accelerated, in

consequence of the more direct access of the flame to the surface of the metal, and the quality of the metal is improved, because the slag, which, at comparatively low temperatures, takes up a considerable proportion of the sulphur and phosphorus originally `contained in the materials employed, yields back these impurities to the metal as the higher temperatures of mild steel are approached, so that it is very important to get rid of `it as soon as possible. v i

By these means a comparatively pure metal may be obtained from impure materials, and the time necessary for completing a charge is materially lessened. When the metal is sufiiciently decarburized, as may be ascertained by chemical test, and by the appearance of a chilled and fractured sample, the charge is tapped into a movable ladle lined with fireclay, and heated internally by means of a gasame, or otherwise, to low redness.' Before tapping, rich spiegeleisen or ferro-manganese is broken up into small pieces and distributed over the bottom of the ladle, where` it becomes and lis kept vheated by the continuous action of the flame and heated lining, and

thus is readily melted bythe stream of liquid a definite proportion of manganese is insured in the metal produced. At the same time a saving of ferro-manganese is effected, and the process of manufacture is simplilied.

Although any suitable apparatus or furnace may be made use of for refining or partially decarburizing the molten metal previous to its being tapped or poured into the ladle, yetI prefer to make use of a regenerative gas-furnace of the construction shown in the accompanying plate of drawings,` but do not claim such specially, as it forms the subject of a separateapplication now pending.

In the accompanying plate of drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated 'by similar letters, Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal vertical section of the furnace. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section, showing the position of the air and gas lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the furnace through the cave A. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the air-fines. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal elevation.

The regenerative gas-furnace, as shown `in the drawings, is built of tire-brick or other suitable refractory material, and consists of the four regenerators with the ilues and valvesV and the heating-chamber, where i the metallurgical operations are carried on. The four regenerators are arranged in pairs,and vary in size, the smaller being used for the passage of gas, and the larger for that of air, proportions being in the ratio of two to three approximately. These ratios correspond to the quantities of gas and air required, to insure complete combustion in the heating-chamber. The Walls of the regenerators are built of lirebrick or other suitable refractory material, closely laid and whitewashed or otherwise made gas-tight, so that no leakage may take place from one chamber to another. These chambers are iilled with refractory material, by preference fire-brick, stacked loosely together, and each regenerative chamber has its own separate flue at the base, communieating with the yalves, by which the gas and air enter, or the products of combustion pass out, while from the top or side of each regenerator-chamber a flue passes upward and communicates with the heating-chamber, and I prefer to cause the air to enter the heatingchamber above thegas, as by its superior specitic gravity, at equal temperatures, it tends to sink through the gas, and thus an intimate mixture and more perfect combustion are obtained.- l

The entering or issuing gaseous currents pass through valves which are shown .at m in Fig. 3. v

The heating-chamber where the metallurgical processes are carried on has its roof and sides constructed of highly refractoryr materia-ls, `such as best silica or Dynas bricks. The bed is usually made of sand, but in some cases an oxide of-iron-bottom is preferable.

Below the center of the furnace is an open cave, through which air freely circulates, and.

rises through openings into the vairspace below the melting-chamber and `behind the bridges, whereby a perfect cooling of the sides s ing-chamber.

0n first lighting the furnace, the gas passes through the proper valves and llues into the bottom 'of` the regenerator-chamber c, while the air enters through corresponding valves and dues into the regenerator-chamber lE,

"which should be about one-half larger than `the gas-regenerator chamber c. The currents of gas and air, both quite cold, rise separately through the regenerators c and E, and pass upthrough the tlues or series of `ilues G G G and F F F F, respectively, into the furnace above, where they meet and are lighted, burning and producinga moderate heat.V s

Each air-port rises from its regenerator behind the corresponding gas-port, and is projected into the 'furnace over such gas-port, it

being important that the air-port should over-` lap the gas-port on both sides. Great solidity of brick work and perfect combustion are thereby attained. rlhe products of combustion pass away through a similar set of flues at the other end of the furnace into the regenerator-chambers c E', which are not shown-by the drawings, but are symmetrically disposed and of like construction to the chambers c E, already described, and thence through properly-constructed ues and valves to the chimney flue. Thewaste heat is thus deposited in the upper coursesof open tire-brick work,A

filling the chambers c E', and heats them up,

while the lower portion and the chimney-nues are quite cool; then, after a suitable interval, the flaps, through whichthe air land gas are admitted or withdrawn from the furnace are reversed, and the air and gas enter through those regeneratorchambers c E', which have just been heated by the waste products of .combustion, and in passing up through the chequerwork they become heated, and then, on uniting and entering into combustion in the furnace D D, they produce a very high temperature, the-waste heat from such higher temperature of combustion heating up the previously cold regenerators c Eto a corresponding. higher heat.v lThus an accumulation of heat and an accession of temperature are obtainedstepby-step, so to speak, until the furnace-is as hot as required. The heat is at .the

same time so thoroughly abstracted from the products of combustion by the regenerators that thechimney-iiue remains comparatively cool.A rlhe commandof the temperature of the furnaceand of thequality. of the flame is 'rendered complete4 bymeansof gas and air regulating valves and wby the chimney-dampers. i

One or more doors or openings are provided at such an elevation that the scoria oating on the metallic bath may be run off continuously, or at intervals, during the process of decarburization without discharging the metal itself, and for this purpose these doors or openings should be made low enough to suit the lowest possible surface-level of the metallic bath, and rendered capable of being banked up readily by means of sand or other refractory material to the height required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesv The process of manufacturing steel by tapping, turning, pouring, or otherwise transfer; ring the charge of a furnace or other apparatus for rening cast-iron into a heated ladle lined with refractory material, and containing ferro-manganese in a solid condition, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of November, 1876.

U.' WILLIAM SIEMENS.

Witnesses I. THORPE PoTTs EDWARD C. INGERsoLL. 

